Mirza Tahir Ahmad
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Mirza Tahir Ahmad (* 18 December 1928 in Qadian, † 19 April 2003 in London) was Khalifatul Masih IV., Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He was elected to this post on 1982, the day after the death of his predecessor, Mirza Nasir Ahmad. He was son of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, the second Caliph and brother of Mirza Nasir Ahmad, the third Caliph.
Mirza Tahir Ahmad graduated from Jamia Ahmadiyya (Theological Academy) at Rabwah, followed by higher studies in London, UK. In 1973 he, along with the third Caliph Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, and some other Ahmadi scholars, appeared in the Parliament of Pakistan to defend the beliefs of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The Parliament subsequently decided to declare all Ahmadi´s as non-Muslims.
Mirza Tahir Ahmad is credited with emphasizing use of the purdah (veil) for Ahmadi women as well as placing an emphasis on spirituality over materialism. As a result most Ahmadi women in the West are strict “purdah” observers. He made proselytizing mandatory for every Ahmadi Muslim resulting in progressively increasing number of converts. The community experienced structural and financial growth during his time.
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[edit] Biography
The Promised Messiah and founder of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani's son, Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad (The Khalifat-ul Masih II and Musleh Mauod) married Syeda Maryam Begum on 7 February, 1924. She was the daughter of Dr. Abdul Sattar Shah, scion of an eminent Syed family. In his Nikah sermon, Syed Sarwar Shah Sahib, a venerable companion of the Promised Messiah said, "I am now advanced in years and would soon pass away, But those who live would witness the advent of Servants of the faith born in this wedlock with a Syeda as occurred before. This is my resolute conviction."
Mirza Tahir Ahmed was born on 18 December, 1928. Once, during his childhood, he was asked by a well-know Ahmadi Savant, Maulana Abdul Rahim Nayyer, "Which reward would you cherish most for doing good work?" "Allah - Only Allah" was the 10 year old's spontaneous answer. He was named Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad
[edit] Early life
He obtained his early schooling at Qadian and joined the Government College Lahore in 1944, a few months after the death of his mother (Maryam Begum). After graduating with distinction from the Ahmadiyya Missionary College Rabwah (now known as Chenab Nagar), he obtained his honours degree in Arabic from the University of Punjab, Lahore.
In 1955, he visited England for the first time with his father, who advised him to remain there to improve his knowledge of the English language and European social habits. He studied for two and a half years at SOAS, University of London. By the end of 1957 he had seen most of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and also most of Western Europe.
[edit] Fourth Head of the Ahmadiyya Community
After taking office in 1982 after the death of his predecessor and brother Mirza Nasir Ahmad, he worked to restore Jamaat and movement with a new passion. The Anti-Ahmadiyya ordinance, passed by General Zia ul Haq's government on 26 April 1984, compelled him to leave Pakistan immediately. He decided to come to England where he established his base during his years of exile.
Within a few years, he trained and organized thousands of men, women and children as voluntary workers to help him discharge his global responsibilities. Some regard one of his main achievements the creation of MTA (Muslim Television Ahmadiyya). Through MTA numerous training programs are televised twenty-four hours a day, a service which reaches all the continents in most major lanaguages of the world. According to the Jamat's estimate, after taking office, the numbers of members proliferated with the rapid rise and the spread of Jamaat Ahmadiyya in over 150 countries.
Mirza Tahir Ahmed passed away in 2003, after a short illness. After his death, Mirza Masroor Ahmad took office as the fifth Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
[edit] Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth
Mirza Tahir Ahmad wrote a book Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth which was a further development on a talk he gave in Switzerland. In Zurich in 1987 Professor Dr. Karl Henking, Professor of Ethnology, University of Zurich invited the Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to deliver a lecture on Islam. On Thursday, the 14 June 1987 at 8.15 p.m., the proposed lecture was delivered under the title Rationality, Revelation, Knowledge, Eternal Truth. The students, evidently intrigued by the title, thronged Oule (the great auditorium) which became filled to capacity so that additional arrangements had to be made in another hall with provisions for relaying the proceedings through television screens and loudspeakers.
The lecture was developed further in its subject matter and material over the period of almost 10 years and finally publised in the form of a book, entitled, Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth.
[edit] Some of his writings, speeches and Majalis-e-Irfan
- Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth – Comprehensive book by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh that examines the relationships between science, philosophy and religion. (English [1] | Arabic [2])
- Unity of God [3]
- An Elementary Study of Islam [4] (Book)
- Hazrat Imam Mahdi (as) (Majlis Irfan) [5]
- Future of Western Society (Majlis Irfan) [6]
- Natural Disasters (Majlis Irfan) [7]
- Prophet's Guide Mankind to God (Majlis Irfan)
- Investment, Interest and Islam (Majlis Irfan)
- Gulf War: Quotations from Sermons [8]
- Gulf Crisis and New World Order (English [9]| Arabic) [10]
- Natural Disaster or Divine Punishment [ Part I [11]| Part II [12]| Part III [13]| Part IV [14]| Part V [15]]
- Life After Death (Majlis Irfan) [16]
- Faith and Reality (Majlis Irfan) [17]
- Lord Krishna and Jesus Christ (Majlis Irfan) [18]
- The Journey Within (Majlis Irfan) [19]
- Attainment of Inner Peace (Majlis Irfan) [20]
- Inspiration, Revelation, and Belief (Majlis Irfan) [21]
- Christianity - A Journey from Facts to Fiction [22](Book)
- MURDER in the NAME of ALLAH [23](Book)
- Shariah Relationship Between Religion and Politics in Islam (Book)
- Some Distinctive Features of Islam [24](Book)
- Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues (English [25] | Urdu [26]) (Book)
- Homeopathy [27](Book)
- Kalam-e-Tahir (Poetry Book)
- The Philosophy of Revival of Religion
- Universal and Moral Values, Politics and World Peace [28]
- Khatame-Nabbuwat (Urdu pdf) [29]
- Finality of Prophethood (English pdf) [30]
- Reality of punishment of apostasy in Islam (Urdu) [31]
- Zahaqal Baatil (Urdu [32]| Arabic [33] | English [34])
- With Love to the Muslims of the World - The Ahmadiyya Perspective
- THE PHILOSOPHY OF REVIVAL OF RELIGION [35]
[edit] References and external links
- Life Sketch of Mirza Tahir Ahmad
- Tahir Foundation Website
- Muslim Television Ahmadiyya's Website
- A Man of God
